Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 22 is like walking a tightrope blindfolded on the edge of an abyss! A near-death experience is the least of your worries!
Lou Gao suddenly raised his hand to interrupt Lin Xia. The relaxed and carefree look on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an incredulous shock.

Lou Gao's gaze was sharp and fixed on Lin Xia. His voice rose with intense surprise and suspicion, carrying an urgent tone that was almost questioning.

"Xia! You just said... this 'digging' ability was something Young Gilas learned on its own? Just yesterday? Without it acquiring any spirit rings?!"

Lin Xia felt a pang of anxiety at Lou Gao's sudden serious tone and shocked gaze, but quickly realized that the teacher had grasped a key point.

Lin Xia pondered for a moment. Pokémon moves and Soul Skills were indeed similar in form, both essentially utilizing energy. He nodded frankly, affirming:

“Yes, teacher, this is not a soul skill granted by a soul ring. Young Gilas... seems to be somewhat different.”

"As it consumes ores, accumulates energy, and continues to grow, some of the dormant abilities within it... well... can be understood as innate abilities or martial spirit instincts, will awaken on their own."

"This digging is one of them. It is not given by external force, but comes from its own bloodline and origin growth."

Lin Xia tried her best to explain using concepts that the world could understand.

"Martial Soul Instinct? Innate Ability?"

Lou Gao murmured repeatedly, his eyes filled with shock as if a real storm was churning within him.

Lou Gao took a deep breath, as if he wanted to suck in all the air in the courtyard, his voice trembling with disbelief.

"You mean... your Martial Soul, Young Giras, it... it was born with... a Soul Skill?! And without any Soul Rings?!"

Lou Gao's breathing became somewhat heavy, which completely overturned his understanding of martial spirits!

Soul Masters can only acquire Soul Skills after obtaining Soul Rings, unless some exceptionally talented individuals can create their own Soul Skills!

Even so, Lou Gao had never heard of a martial soul possessing a similar soul skill ability before obtaining a soul ring!

Moreover, it doesn't require a flash of inspiration or hard work; you can obtain it simply by eating!

Seeing the teacher's shocked and somewhat disoriented state, Lin Xia understood his shock.

Lin Xia decided to be more explicit, both to appease Teacher An and to avoid further questions.

“Yes, teacher. And… this ‘digging’ method isn’t the only one.”

Lin Xia paused, then, under the almost frozen gazes from the high-rise building, continued:
"As far as I know, Young Gilas currently has eight moves and skills."

"Eight...eight?!"

Lou Gao's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, like a blunt iron being struck to its limit by a heavy hammer, filled with a hoarse, distorted sound.

As if struck by lightning, he abruptly stood up from the stone bench, the chair legs rubbing against the stone slab with a piercing creaking sound.

He was a Soul Saint, a seven-ring expert, who went through countless hardships and risks to hunt soul beasts before he finally acquired seven soul skills!

And this six-year-old child in front of us, his martial soul... he already has eight even before he has obtained his first soul ring!
Eight innate skills!
A bittersweet feeling mixed with a profound sense of absurdity and a hint of... envy?
A feeling instantly welled up in my heart, high up in the building.

Lou Gao felt his worldview buzzing, as if the ground beneath his feet was shaking.

Having lived to such an old age, he considered himself knowledgeable and worldly-wise, but at this moment, he felt like a bewildered child stepping into a blacksmith's shop for the first time, facing a magical artifact that he could not comprehend at all.

Looking at Lin Xia's youthful yet earnest face, and then at Young Giras on the ground holding the Star Cold Iron, looking completely bewildered and innocent, seemingly unaware of the enormous mental bomb he had just dropped, Lou Gao's lips twitched uncontrollably a few times.

“Eight…eight innate skills…hehe…good…good…” Lou Gao’s voice was somewhat ethereal, carrying a sense of unease as if he had forcibly regained his senses after being overwhelmed by a huge shock.

He raised his hand and vigorously wiped his face, his rough palms rubbing against his stubble, making a rustling sound, trying to suppress the feeling of heartache.

Take a deep breath and then slowly exhale, the breath long and drawn out, as if to empty all the shock and bitterness from your chest.

The craftsman's perseverance and magnanimity quickly gained the upper hand.

"Damn it... comparing people is a recipe for disaster, comparing goods is a recipe for disaster!"

Lou Gao suddenly swore, but a smile that was both self-deprecating and relieved appeared on his face.

"I've toiled my whole life and only managed to save up seven tools for making a living, and you little monster haven't even gone out to hunt souls yet, and you already have eight treasures hidden at home! Haha!"

Lou Gao patted Lin Xia's shoulder forcefully, so forcefully that Lin Xia swayed, but his tone was full of boldness and comfort.

"However! Of the seven soul skills I possess, six were chosen for forging. My true skill lies in being able to forge divine weapons!"

"Your path, little fellow, is completely different from mine! It's a whole new world! Excellent! Very excellent! This proves that my judgment was correct! I've taken on a peerless, monstrous disciple!"

Lou Gao's gaze regained its firmness and brightness; the brief moment of heartache was completely replaced by pride in his disciple's talent and a desire to explore the unknown. He looked at Lin Xia and said in a deep voice:

"Xia, I understand your idea! To use Young Gilas's talent and 'digging' ability to explore underground mineral deposits, this idea... is bold! Novel! Unprecedented! In terms of efficiency and feasibility alone, it's simply a genius idea!"

Lou Gao's tone suddenly became extremely serious, carrying an unquestionable air of authority.

"But! Prospecting? Absolutely not!"

"what?"

Lin Xia had anticipated that the teacher would be cautious, but she did not expect such a decisive refusal.

What do you think the underground is like?

The sound from Lou Gao suddenly rose in pitch, becoming powerful and resonant.

"That's an even more dangerous wasteland than some areas of the Star Dou Great Forest! High-temperature magma underground rivers, highly toxic miasma, complex and fragile geological structures, terrifying collapses that could happen at any time, and even the possibility of encountering unknown and powerful soul beasts lurking deep underground!"

"Not to mention those naturally formed energy traps and labyrinthine illusions!"

"No matter how amazing your 'digging' is, it's just a newly awakened ability!"

"Your knowledge of the underground is practically zero! Even if Younggilas can sense ores, can it instantly distinguish whether what lies ahead is a rich ore deposit or deadly magma?"

"Can it know which rock layer is the key to bearing the load, and if it is dug through, it will cause a collapse within a kilometer radius? Can it protect you from the sudden surge of toxic gas or underground currents?"

"And, most importantly, there isn't enough oxygen for you to breathe underground."

Lou Gao stared intently at Lin Xia, each question like a bucket of cold water poured on Lin Xia's feverish thoughts.

"Mineral exploration is a field that requires extremely specialized knowledge, extensive experience, strong capabilities, and thorough preparation before one can even begin to venture into it!"

"If you do it now, it's like walking a tightrope blindfolded on the edge of an abyss! You'll be lucky to survive!"

(End of this chapter)